The influence of cowards and cultural relativists in the UK appears to have spread to the other side of the world. Australia, where sharia law has become a shadow legal system, has cited our apparent tolerance of polygamous and underage marriage amongst the Muslim community in a bid to justify its growing influence.

In his October Wine column, Saintsbury quotes Dr Johnson on novelties to great effect: "...novelty is always grateful where it gives no pain." Well, the BBC gave me pain twice this week with its novelties.

Catherine Hakim is not a feminist name you will know. She may yet earn the moniker, "anti-feminist feminist", once bestowed on Camille Paglia, but I doubt it. When you publish a book as risibly unsubstantiated as Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital (Allen Lane), being compared to Paglia would be like declaring Katie Price the new Bridget Bardot.